Invasive species population exploding weary residents say

External Links

(Note: CBC does not endorse and is not responsible for the content of external links.)

Steveston residents say they're fed up with a growing chorus of bullfrogs that is keeping them up at night, but the provincial government says there's not a lot it can do.

The Ministry of Environment says bullfrogs are expanding in many areas of the province.

"Given the current high level of bullfrog range expansion, eradication of bullfrogs from B.C. is cost-prohibitive, said the ministry in a statement.

The government says their main strategy currently is prevention to keep them out of new areas and containment.

Steveston residents say frogs are proliferating in local canals and dykes at the same time as a milfoil-type weed has taken root. (CBC)

But that's not working for Steveston residents like Shannon Dublanica. She says that within the last year, the population of bullfrogs along Steveston's dykes and canals has doubled.

"They’re really loud and apparently the males which are the only ones who vocalize, can talk to their mates half a kilometre away," she said. "That’s how loud it is."

"They don’t have any natural predators here. They’re an invasive species and they’re taking over our natural environment and displacing other frogs, birds, ducklings, that sort of thing so we have to do something."

Dublanica says she's about ready to go get a net and start catching them herself.

Other residents say they are not concerned about the frogs. Jennifer Heine says she is more concerned by the proliferation of an invasive milfoil weed that is choking out the natural plants.

She says while the frogs are noisy, it is only for part of the year and she does not want to see them disturbed.

"They’re quite a chorus," she said. "They start in the afternoon. Sometimes they go through the day, but they’ll go all night up to the early hours of the morning. They’re pretty constant. They’re not your cute chirpy little frogs."

Corrections

A previous version of this story incorrectly stated that Steveston resident Jennifer Heine was concerned about the frogs. In fact, she is not.